Sodium tetraborate pentahydrate as a smoke suppressant for styrenic resins

Abstract

A composition comprising a styrenic resin admixed with sodium tetraborate pentahydrate and a brominated aromatic compound is provided that is no only flame retarded but also is smoke suppressed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A flame retarded and smoke suppressed composition consisting essentially of 100 parts of a styrenic resin selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, poly(chlorostyrene), poly(bromostyrene), poly(α-methyl styrene), poly(vinyltoluene), poly(vinylnaphthalene), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, high, low and medium impact polystyrenes, and mixtures thereof admixed with about 1 to 50 parts of a brominated aromatic flame retardant and about 10 to 50 parts of sodium tetraborate pentahydrate. 
     
     
       2. A composition of claim 1 wherein said styrenic resin is polystyrene. 
     
     
       3. A composition of claim 1 wherein said styrenic resin is acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer. 
     
     
       4. A composition of claim 1 wherein said styrenic resin is high-impact polystyrene. 
     
     
       5. A composition of claim 1 wherein said brominated aromatic flame retardant is 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane. 
     
     
       6. A composition of claim 1 wherein said brominated aromatic flame retardant is decabromodiphenyl oxide. 
     
     
       7. A composition of claim 1 wherein said brominated aromatic flame retardant is tetrabromophthalic anhydride. 
     
     
       8. A composition of claim 1 wherein sodium tetraborate pentahydrate is in the amount of 15 to 30 parts. 
     
     
       9. A process of producing a styrenic resin having smoke suppressed properties comprising adding 100 parts of a styrenic resin selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, poly(chlorostyrene), poly(bromostyrene), poly(α-methyl styrene), poly(vinyltoluene), poly(vinylnaphthalene), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, high, low and medium impact polystyrenes, and mixtures thereof to a mixing vessel along with about 1 to 50 parts of a brominated aromatic flame retardant and about 10 to 50 parts of sodium tetraborate pentahydrate and intimately mixing the mixture to produce a flame retarded and smoke suppressed resin.